Ohsweken Aces win Iroquois Nations Cup | Inside Lacrosse NLL Ohsweken Aces win Iroquois Nations Cup Lacrosse players from Six Nations earned bragging rights over the weekend at Onondaga Nation as the Ohsweken Aces captured their fourth Iroquois Nations Cup gold medal in the last five years. Pitted against fellow Six Nations squad, the Frog Pond Maulers, the Aces overcame a slow start in a grudge match that featured former, current and futures stars of the NCAA ranks, the NLL, the Major Series and the Junior A circuit in Ontario. Additionally, nearly the entire Iroquois Nationals roster  except for a few faces  was in participation at some point during the tournament. The Iroquois Nations Cup, held since 1997, brings together teams from New York and Canada with the winners assuming the right to call their reservation home to the best lacrosse players in the Iroquois community, which could likely mean the entire world.

Eight teams participated this past weekend, including a crew from British Columbia, coming together at Tsha`hon`nonyen`dacha, also known as Onondaga Nation arena, for a celebration of the sport. (If you were ever in search of a hand-made, all-wooden stick, this was the place to score one.) With the two teams representing Six Nations surviving through the tournament, there was no question that the reservation, considered the largest First Nation of Canada, continues to produce some of the most talented lacrosse players on the globe. Comprised of members of Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora nations, the reserve sits on some 46,000 acres in Southern Ontario, about 60 miles west of Buffalo. With as many as 25,000 citizens, the territory  also known as Six Nations of the Grand River  boasts a large pool of players, most of whom have been playing the sport since as far back as they can remember.

Many of the players meeting on the floor in the gold medal game have been or are current teammates on anyone of the Six Nations teams competing in the Ontario Lacrosse Association, including the Chiefs (Senior A, Major Series Lacrosse), the Arrows Express (Junior A), and the Rebels (Junior B). The Frog Pond Maulers came out firing early, scoring 23 seconds into the contest on a picture-perfect one-timer from NLL veteran Kim Squire (Ontario Raiders, Rock, Knighthawks, Bandits) to Jordan Johnson. The Aces responded quickly, as 2009 OLA Junior A MVP Randy Staats took a pass from Peter Jacobs (Knighthawks) and dove through the Maulers defense, stuffing a shot past Randy Johnson to tie the game. The Maulers, however, scored the next three goals, as Carney Johnson, Haweniyohsta Green and Ben Powless each netted tallies putting the score at 4-1 Maulers with less than 7 minutes remaining in the first period.

The Aces battled back, as Jacobs scored off a pick-and-roll pass from former Syracuse University and Onondaga Community standout Cody Jamieson, fresh off his number-one overall selection in the NLL draft by the Rochester Knighthawks. Less than a minute later, Six Nations Arrows star Alex Kedoh Hill  drafted this month by the Edmonton Rush  found Vaugh Harris to bring the Aces within one. But then Wayne Van Every, who led all Junior B scorers in Ontario this past summer and was recently drafted by the Buffalo Bandits, drove to the net and put the lead back at two for the Maulers. Before the period ended, the audience was treated to the highlight of the day, as Squire  winner of several Champions Cups in the NLL as a member of the Rock  took a pass up the floor from Randy Johnson, drove through a defender and  quite nonchalantly  pulled off an electrifying one-handed around-the-world shot that zipped past Aces starting keeper Jake Henhawk and put the Maulers ahead by three going into the first intermission.

In the second period, the Aces reduced their deficit as Jamieson wasted little time in burying a pass from Craig Point, with whom he will soon be reunited as a Knighthawk. Then Eli Hill came up with a loose ball in front of the Maulers net and burst up the floor, going coast-to-coast to put the score at 7-4. The game looked like it was slipping away from the Aces, as they fell behind 8-4 a couple minutes later when Kyle Isaacs scored on another breakaway. Thats when Aces coach Stew Monture pulled Henhawk out of the net, replacing him with Warren Hill, who is currently enrolled at the Hill Academy in the newly established post-graduate program. Hill, who is hoping to play college lacrosse in the United States, made numerous fantastic saves, including several right on the crease and several back-to-back saves. With Hill standing strong in the cage, and defender Holden Vyse (Bandits) tightening down on defense in front of him, the Aces were able to go on several goal-scoring runs.

The first started right after Hill entered the game, as less than a minute later Staats found Jake Bomberry (who put up 83 points for the Rebels over the summer) on the crease for an easy finish. Next, Jake Bomberry hit Jamieson, who ripped an underhand crank shot right under the legs of the Maulers goalie Brenner Jacobs, who checked into the game to start the second. Jamiesons goal came as the Aces pulled their goalie for a momentary extra attacker. With 8:10 to play in the second, Staats wound up from way out and somehow bounced a shot into the top right corner to bring the Aces back within one goal. But their momentum was again crushed as Dan Vyse got called for a trip a minute later, giving the Maulers time to regroup, which they did. Squire scored his second of the day on a pass from Eli Hill with 4:44 to play in the second. Thanks to an outstanding defensive effort and the resilience of Warren Hill, the Aces wouldnt let the Maulers score another goal.

And before the second came to a close, the Aces put the score at 9-8 as Tyler Bombery snagged a loose ball and sprinted up the floor for a one-on-one goal. In the third, Staats struck early, taking a pass from Roger Vyse (Bandits) and ripping it, again from outside, tying the game up and really putting the strut back in the step of the Aces. Less than a minute later, Jake Bomberry  with an amazing effort  fell to the floor behind the Maulers net, but managed to lop a perfect pass to Harris, who was cutting to the crease and dumped it in for the Aces first lead of the game with 17:39 left in the contest. Down the stretch in the third period, Warren Hill was really shining through for the Aces. With about 12 minutes to play, the MVP of the game made two series of saves that came right on the doorstep and would have most certainly tied the game and given the Maulers ample energy to feed off.

And although it would go for the most part overlooked, Brenner Jacobs was doing his fair share of work on the other end, stoning Jamiesons between-the-legs shot and then stopping him as he came in alone, throwing all kinds of fakes, only to be turned away again. Alex Kedoh Hill, who was outstanding on both ends of the floor and in transition, scored with under 6 minutes to play. From that point forward, the Aces managed to hold the ball and work enough time off the clock to put the squeeze on the Maulers, who werent able to muster anything in the closing minutes. And with 13 seconds left, defender Isaiah Kicknosway scored to seal the victory for the Aces. After the game, players of both teams expressed pleasure in the fact that Six Nations was represented by both the gold and silver medal squads. It is pride for the community, especially back home, having two Six Nations teams in the finals, said Jamieson, a co-captain of the Aces. That happens a lot, and we like to play for bragging rights. Everybody likes to see who the best nation is, and luckily we came out on top.

It feels good to say that you are the best team from all the Nations. Warren Hill said his familiarity with his teammates allowed him to feel little to no pressure coming into the game. Some games you do go in with pressure, but some games you go in confident about it, he said. And I was pretty confident. I had confidence in my defense. I have a lot of experienced guys, pros, junior A guys, friends. They give me the shots I want to see. The first shots the hardest to save, but once you get in a groove, it gets easier and easier and you just get pumped. That helped me make those saves on the doorstep and two or three of them right away. Oshweken coach Stew Monture said the close-knit nature of the Nations Cup, and especially the final game, gives the players even more reason to take pride in the tournament. If you see us in the parking lot or in the lobby area, you wouldnt know it, he said.

But when you get out on the floor, its ultra-competitive. Monture said he was proud of the Aces, a team that started 5 or 6 years ago when lacrosse-playing buddies on Six Nations put the assembled the crew for fun. A lot of the these guys went to school together, played junior together, played senior together  and some are just friends outside of lacrosse. Its a pride thing. The competition is always really tight. Its always unique to play against your own heritage. Monture pointed out that the wide age range of the competing players was a reflection of young Iroquois players desire to compete at the highest level. In the community, once a boy is 15 or 16 years old, he is considered a man. So on the lacrosse field, thats who he is going to be competing against. A lot of the boys cant wait to be 15 or 16 and be old enough to play in this tournament. Jamieson said it was fun to play with young players, like his cousin Randy Staats.

He said that putting younger players on these kinds of teams is how the Iroquois community helps integrate its young players into the game at a more competitive level. When I first started playing with (older players), I was their age, 16 or 17 years old, and I was playing with the older guys, he said. And that was like the highlight of my career back then. I think that is the same with these guys, they are looking up to us and they are just as excited as we were. Staats, who burst onto the Junior A scene at a young age, said he uses the opportunity to compete with older players as a way to learn from them. I find when you play up with older people you develop their smarts and you do what they do and watch them, said the rising star, who still hopes to attend college in the United States and is pursuing a prep-school avenue. Squire, who was the second-oldest member of the Maulers, said it was fun to compete with so many up-and-coming players from his community, although he had hoped to bring home the cup.

It was fun playing against Cody Jamieson, Randy Staats, but its a heartbreaker, he said. Our team was totally young. It was tough to keep up with them. Theyve got legs.Im just proud both Six Nations teams made it. We could send four teams, I think. A lot of guys get left at home, because of scheduling and things like that. But Six Nations proved again that we are a strong community. We are sort of like the lacrosse factory of Canada, of the world maybe. Warren Hill was happy to compete against a team made up of guy he knows so well. It does feel good to be back here especially with the Maulers, too. It feels good that they are playing. We both didnt want to come out here all the way for nothing. We competed, and it was a good, hard game and we both wanted the cup, but the both thing is that it is staying in Ohsweken at Six Nations. Fastbreak Newsletter Bowhunter Cup Preview: USA vs. Iroquois | Inside Lacrosse NLL Bowhunter Cup Preview: USA vs.

Iroquois Lacrosse fans in Central New York will feast their eyes on a world class showcase of the sport at the Oncenter War Memorial in Syracuse as the Iroquois Nationals and Team USA will meet in the Bowhunter Cup, an event being billed as an an international friendly and an exhibition for the third World Indoor Lacrosse Championship to be held next May in the Czech Republic.This will be the first time the Iroquois Nationals will compete as a team since being disallowed from traveling to England in May to compete in the ILF World Championships. While the indoor game is a form of the sport that Americans in general are still getting to know, its one that the Iroquois are more than familiar with. Iroquois Nationals At the indoor game, we are number one or two in the world, said Ansley Jemison, general manager of the Iroquois Nationals.

You could put us up against Canada, and it would be a heck of a match. And at the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship in 2007, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, it was just that, as the Canadians needed overtime to beat the Nations 15-14. That was a huge improvement from 2003, when the Nationals made it to the gold match, but fell to Canada 21-4. This time around, Jemison said, the expectations are that the Nationals will again compete for the gold, and the team is looking to round up as many professional players as possible. But the management also might dip into the young pool of talent in the Iroquois community to strengthen the roster.Selecting the lineup, Jemison said, is a difficult task. Its likely that the roster for Saturdays nights Bowhunter Cup will not be finalized any earlier than Friday night, as the team had scheduled a practice/tryout for Thursday night. The way this works with Native Americans is that we can have an open tryout and 200 guys will show up.

For this one, we want to pinpoint a couple of guys to add to what we already know we want, and we are probably leaning a little more pro-heavy. Jemison said the Nationals also scouted last weekends Iroquois Nations Cup at the Onondaga reservation, where some blossoming young players were key contributors on the winning team, the Ohsweken Aces. These guys might be a little under the radar, but they are very talented and this might give them a good opportunity, he said. One player in particular Jemison said could possibly make the roster is the young Six Nations star Randy Staats, who made a big splash in 2009 by winning MVP of the OLAs Junior A loop, but was sidelined all of this summer while nursing a serious knee injury. Hes really an up-and-coming star in the indoor game. Weve been watching him to see how he has come off his injury. If hes rusty, you really couldnt notice it last weekend.

He is certainly capable and was running with the best of them.The growing number of Iroquois players currently enrolled in college will not be participating in the 2011 games, Jemison said, as the teams management decided it would be in the best interests of the players to excuse them from the competition, including the Bowhunter Cup. Jemison said the team would have loved to add Syracuses Jeremy Thompson, who was MVP of the Presidents Cup gold medal game this summer in British Columbia, as well as defender Ryan Burnham, a Six Nations Arrows veteran and Hill Academy graduate.Instead, Jemison said he is hopeful that seasoned players like Roger Vyse (Bandits), Craig Point (Knighthawks) and Sid Smith (Knighthawks) would eventually be added to the roster, even if they are not present for Saturday evenings contest. Brett Bucktooth (Bandits) is another key player that Jemison the team will look to for leadership in preparing for the games next May, and could possibly play Saturday night, depending on availability.

One big name that is slated to be in participation at the Bowhunter Cup for sure is former Onondaga Community College and Syracuse University star Cody Jamieson, one of the most talked about Iroquois players in recent years. While well known throughout the sport of field lacrosse for having dominated the junior college scene and then lifting the Orange to the national title in 2009 with his clutch overtime goal, Jamieson is perhaps even more respected for his accomplishments on the floor. One of the most outstanding players to come out of the Junior A ranks in recent memory, Jamieson is a past winner of the leagues MVP award and also guided his Six Nations Arrows to a Minto Cup in 2007, being tabbed tourney MVP in the process. In 2009, in his first season in the Major Series and playing for the Six Nations Chiefs, Jamieson dominated, winning the leagues scoring title, MVP, and Rookie of the Year  the first player ever to do win all three awards in the same season. On Sept. 8, Jamieson was selected as the first overall choice in this years NLL draft.

Chosen by the Rochester Knighthawks, Jamieson was given a jersey with the number 22 on the back by lacrosse legend Gary Gait, who retired that night from playing professionally. It will be cool for the Iroquois Nationals, Jamieson said. We had that mishap with the ILF World Games. It will be good to get our team back together  it wont be all the same guys, but the majority of them. But it will be good to get back together for a fun game like this one. Jemison said that the team will certainly be playing for pride, given the scale of the event, but will not be looking to exact any revenge on Team USA for the events leading up to the Nationals exclusion from the ILF World Games in May. Were not out looking for blood or anything like that, Jemison said. There is certainly something at stake here, as is always the case when you step onto the floor. We play for pride all the time. Maybe this could start a good tradition and a rivalry between the two teams, but the good kind of rivalry  a competitive one.

Were supposed to play this game with a good mind and heart  for the creators enjoyment. Jemison said the Iroquois respect the American government for at least attempting to aid them during the passport fiasco. Toward the end, America really stepped up to the plate and wanted to support this team. It was England who sort of pulled the rug out from underneath us. If we were playing the English national team, we might be more out for revenge. Team USA In keeping with the Syracuse theme, Casey Powell, who became the first US-born player to win MVP of the NLL last season, headlines the Team USA roster. This is a great opportunity to represent my country and be part of a great experience, said Powell, who after his senior year of high school in Carthage, New York, played a summer of Junior A ball with the Toronto Beaches. He has also had stints with teams on both Six Nations and Akwesasne before slowly emerging as a premier player in the NLL. I had some experience, but Ive tried to learn all that I can about the indoor game, he said.

I always try to be the best player that I can be, and that includes closely watching great players like (Colin) Doyle, (John) Grant, (Brodie) Merrill. Seeing those guys come into the field game and make the transition, I just knew that if I wanted to be one of the best players in the world, I was going to have to pick up the indoor game and add it to my arsenal. Its certainly something that helps you with toughness and its given me a different style and approach. Its a very difficult sport, but its a lot of fun. High risk, high reward. American field players have consistently shown more interest in the indoor game over the years. Saturdays lineup for Team USA also includes some of those players, such as Chris Schiller, Scott Ditzell, and Joe Walters. A second tryout-style event will be held in Baltimore in the coming weeks.

In an in-depth Podcast conversation with Inside Lacrosses John Jiloty this week, Team USA head coach Tom Ryan, who also coaches the Boston Blazers of the NLL, spoke at great length about the challenges of selecting the roster members, and also about finding Americans who are suited for this level of play. Later in the week, Ryan said one thing that helps the selection process, which will be ongoing throughout the fall, is having good competition to measure up against. We feel very fortunate to have this sort of event to evaluate our players, Ryan said in phone interview later in the week. But also, to be able to play in a game outside of any of the world games where the US and the Iroquois are competing, is special in and of itself. The reigning ILF World Championship MVP and a winner of the NLLS Champions Cup last season, Paul Rabil was added to the Team USA roster this week, which gives the team an additional threat at transition. Rabil, Major League Lacrosses MVP in 2009, said he is excited to play against a team comprised of Iroquois players.

Im excited to take part in a game with the original creators, Rabil said. The Native Americans are all phenomenal players, especially at indoor lacrosse. The skills and hand-eye coordination, coupled with their blue-collar mentality, has always made them some of the most feared and well-respected guys in the (NLL). Ryan said the addition of Rabil is a big one for the team. Were very excited to have (Rabil) as a part of this group, Ryan said. He brings a lot in terms of athleticism. Hes extremely competitive and we also expect him to be miles ahead of where he is now at the world games. Ryan said that while it takes even the best American field players as many as three years to make a full transition to the indoor game, Rabil has become a talented box player in just two years. And that hasnt come easy. We watched him last year come up with some really big plays and he figured out how to score. I think his best indoor game is yet to come. Powell said he knows Rabil to be an extremely hard working player, who constantly strives to get better.

Hes obviously one of the top players in the world right now, and I look forward to playing with him, Powell said. He has really represented the country and the sport well. I will forgive him for being a Hopkins fan, Powell joked. Rabil, who joined forces with Syracuse legend and current NLL player Ryan Powell (Edmonton Rush) in winning the world games of field lacrosse in May, is looking forward to teaming up with the eldest of the Powell brothers. This opportunity is unlike any other, Rabil said. I always studied unique players and what they did so well. Obviously, I watched a lot of Casey growing up when he was at Syracuse and in the MLL  he inspired a lot of my play.

For him to be where he is today, winning the NLL's MVP award and still being one of the top players in the world, only speaks volumes to his character  and it's where I want to be when it's all said and done. The Venue Ryan, a native of Canton, just south of the Canadian border in Northern New York, said that the decision to have the Bowhunter Cup in Syracuse was a sensible one, not only because of the rich lacrosse culture in Syracuse, but also given the close proximity to the Onondaga reservation. It makes a lot of sense because, first and foremost, people in Syracuse love the Orange and going to watch the field team play in the Carrier Dome. But also there are so many great indoor players living just miles away on the Nation. And you see a lot of players from that area who have gone onto to play in the NLL. That long list of players includes names like Marshall Abrams, Brett Bucktooth, Gewas Schindler and Neal Powless. I think there is a real corps of indoor lacrosse fans in Central New York.

But because they dont have indoor there right now, I think it makes sense to give people the opportunity to see the game played at this level. Jemison said the location was fitting as the Onondagas are the Keepers of the Central Fire of the Iroquois Confederacy. Onondaga Nation is sort of like the capital of confederacy, he explained. Its nice the event is close by. And I think some of the guys can identify Syracuse as sort of being like home a little bit. Leading up to the event, players expressed their exhilaration about playing in the event. I'm definitely excited to see the turnout and feel the atmosphere, Rabil said. I think it could be very cool. Powell said he thinks the event will be great for the sport and Central New York. There is a lot of history there, even for box (lacrosse), and bringing it back there will be amazing and good for the sport overall.

Having Team USA in town is a big deal. Powell referred to the now defunct The Syracuse Smash, an indoor team that competed in the NLL from 1998 to 2000  compiling an overall record of 6-30  before the franchise moved to Ottawa. Jamieson said he is excited to possibly rekindle interest in the indoor game in front of fans hes already dazzled in the past, but many of whom have only heard or read about his box exploits. Im really excited about it, especially being in Syracuse, he said. I have always said that Syracuse has the best sports fans, the way they support the Orange. Its going to be pretty cool to show them box lacrosse.

Hopefully it might help bring a team back here. Fastbreak Newsletter Cinderella Story: Iroquois Ironmen Win Creator's Cup Lacrosse Title - Indian Country Media Network ICMN Staff • April 22, 2013 In an inredible run, the Iroquois Ironmen , an all-Native squad, knocked out the top three seeds in the Canadian Lacrosse League playoffs to win the 2013 Creator's Cup title. The sixth-seeded Ironmen won only four games in the regular season, but it was their three stunning playoff wins that earned them this year's championship. The "Cinderella Story" Ironmen knocked off the Ohsweken Demons (W 15-14), Niagara Lock Monsters (W 16-15 OT) en route to a title match versus the Toronto Shooting Stars in their postseason run. In the final, played yesterday, April 21, at home at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena on Six Nations, Iroquois jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead, then held on to hold off a late Toronto rally to win 14-11.

Despite being held scoreless in the final 15 minutes, Ironmen starting goalie Jake Lazore would stand tall registering nine saves in the final 10 minutes for his third straight postseason victory. Travis Hill was named Championship MVP. In the final he led the Ironmen with three goals and one assist. In the postseason he registered 12 points adding seven goals and five assists. CLax Ironmen captain Kyle Jamieson accepting the Creator's Cup trophy. The Ironmen competed for last season's CLax Creator's Cup title too, in their inaugural season. They lost to Oshweken, also an all-Native team, in that championship game. But they had their revenge this year when they eliminated the Demons in the first round. CLax Ironmen captain Kyle Jamieson accepting the Creator's Cup trophy. Related stories: Job Board History made by 2014 Iroquois Nationals DENVER, CO – History was made by the Iroquois Nationals at the World Lacrosse Championship in Denver, Saturday when, for the first time ever, a wholly Haudenosaunee Sr. men’s...

by Jim Windle July 23, 2014 938 Views DENVER, CO – History was made by the Iroquois Nationals at the World Lacrosse Championship in Denver, Saturday when, for the first time ever, a wholly Haudenosaunee Sr. men’s sports team medaled at a major international sporting event. “I expected nothing less than for this team to come here and win,” said Lyle Thompson, star of the tournament for the Nationals. “We beat Australia in the round robin and I didn’t expect to lose to them today. We’re competing at the highest level and I think it just gets better from here for the Iroquois Nationals.” Organizers of these games have had no trouble recognizing the Haudenosaunee as a legitimate Nation, even if Canada attempts to claim Haudenosaunee people as Canadian citizens. International lacrosse championships are governed by the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL), which was formed in August 2008 after the merger of the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) and the International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA).

The FIL is responsible for the Men’s World Lacrosse Championship, World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, Women’s Lacrosse World Cup, and both the Men and Women’s Under-19 World Lacrosse Championships. These events are held every four years. International competition has been a tradition in lacrosse since 1860, when the Montreal Lacrosse Club competed against a team of Caughnawaga and St. Regis Native Americans before the Prince of Wales, who went on to become King Edward VII. Lacrosse was an Olympic exhibition sport at the 1904 games in St. Louis, the 1908 games in London, the 1928 games in Amsterdam, the 1932 games in Los Angeles and the 1948 games in London. The quadrennial men’s lacrosse world championships began in 1974 following a successful international tournament in Toronto in 1967. It wasn’t until 1990 that the federation accepted the Iroquois Nationals as a distinct national team and allowed the inventors of the game into the highest level of field lacrosse competition, played every four years.

They finished fifth that year in Perth, Australia behind USA, Canada, Australia, and England. In 1994, in Manchester, England the Iroquois Nationals again finished fifth but ahead of Japan who had fielded a team for the first time. There was a boom in popularity of the sport around the world over the next four years and in 1998, in Baltimore, Maryland, once again the USA finished on top, but the Iroquois Nationals came close to medaling by finishing 4th in an 11-team field. In 2002, the games were back in Perth, where the Iroquois Nationals again missed the medals round finishing fourth in what was becoming a major international sporting event hosting 15 nations. Neal Powless was selected as the first Iroquois Nationals player to be selected to the Tournament’s All-World Team. London, England was the location of the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship and for the fourth year in a row, they missed the medal round finishing in fourth place. The Creator’s game, as the Haudenosaunee call it, was spreading as the fastest growing sport in the world and London hosted 21 nations.

Brett Bucktooth was selected to the All-World Team that year. Then came the controversial 2010 games back in Manchester when the Iroquois Nationals were refused entry into England after the Haudenosaunee passports the team had been using for international travel to that point were denied. Hillary Clinton tried to intervene at the last moment by offering them travel under a USA card, but England would not accept that, and after four years of training and anticipation, the Iroquois Nationals as a whole, chose not to compete if it meant compromising their Haudenosaunee Nationhood. Rather, they chose to compete in a tournament in Hawaii that year. By now the World Lacrosse Tournament had grown to 29 national teams, 30 with the Iroquois Nationals. But the Iroquois Nationals came back in 2014 with a score to settle, and although they did not capture a gold or silver medal, this team became the first to earn a medal after defeating Australia 16-5. “All credit to the Iroquois, [the heat] just seemed to hit us harder after the half,” Australian head coach Glenn Meredith said in Lacrosse Magazine after the game.

“We thought our superior fitness would help put us over the top [with it close at the break], but all of the sudden they were dodging and we were coming up flat-footed.” “Basically, we just opened it up [in the second half] and started hammering down the alleys with our middies and that seemed to really wear them down,” head coach Steve Beville said. “Obviously we’ve got a lot of skilled guys, so we knew we would be able to score.” SHARE THIS ARTICLE Cradle of a Sport Has Crossed the Gender Line - The New York Times The New York Times More Sports |Cradle of a Sport Has Crossed the Gender Line Search Cradle of a Sport Has Crossed the Gender Line By AIMEE BERG Continue reading the main story Photo Amber Hill, a member of the Tuscarora tribe, is a goalie at Syracuse, which will play Vanderbilt Sunday in the N.C.A.A. tournament. Credit Syracuse Athletic Communications On the Onondaga Nation near Syracuse, Jeanne Shenandoah adores lacrosse. All eight of her brothers played it. She scours the papers for scores of the local indoor team.

But when it comes to women playing the game that her Iroquois forefathers originated centuries ago, the conversation turns tense. “This is a precious, sacred area for me,” she said in a room at the Onondaga Communications Office where she works. “To our community and families, lacrosse is a sacred medicine.” To the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Tuscarora and Mohawk — the nations that comprise the Iroquois confederacy that once controlled most of present-day New York — lacrosse was a gift from the creator to be played by men for healing purposes. It continues to be played in ceremonies and at the request of any individual or clan, or for the entire confederacy, anyone who needs its curative powers. Because of its deep, spiritual significance, women are not even allowed to touch a stick. Unlike the male-only medicine game, the women’s game does not allow checking, the sticks are plastic (not hickory), there are boundary lines and traditional rites are not performed. “I understand it’s a different game,” Shenandoah said of women’s lacrosse. “I understand there’s no contact. But the basic idea is to mimic the game.

They’re not putting anything over on me.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story But 10 minutes away from the heart of the Iroquois confederacy where Shenandoah works, there is a different attitude toward Iroquois women playing lacrosse. On April 29, Syracuse’s sophomore goalie, Amber Hill, of the Tuscarora tribe, made 13 saves to help the Orange defeat top-seeded Georgetown, 12-7, and win the Big East title, earning Syracuse an automatic berth in the N.C.A.A. tournament. Today, when Syracuse faces Vanderbilt in the first round, Hill may become the first Iroquois woman to compete in the Division I lacrosse playoffs. “You cannot believe how it felt to see Amber succeed,” said Sandy Jemison, 55, who drove 180 miles to the Carrier Dome from her home on the Seneca reserve near Irving, N.Y., to watch the Big East title game. Twenty years ago, Jemison was caught in the struggle between tradition and opportunity. She learned to play lacrosse in high school, where classmates assumed that because of her heritage she already knew the sport.

After college, in 1984, she joined a fledgling all-Iroquois women’s team that competed internationally and was supported alongside the newly formed Iroquois Nationals men’s team. (The men are now sponsored by Nike and finished fourth at the 2006 world championships.) But in 1987, while Jemison and her teammates were preparing to play an exhibition in Syracuse, Onondaga clan mothers threatened to lie down on the field in protest. Rather than defy the wishes of the elders, the team disbanded. “My heart broke into a thousand pieces,” said Kari Miller, a member of that team. “For me, that was my opportunity to go traveling and play the game I loved. We got a taste of it, then it was taken away.” Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Privacy Policy Jemison returned to the Seneca reserve determined to develop local talent and foster confidence among girls, who might then be encouraged to remain in school or look for other educational opportunities through the sport.

Eventually, in 1993, her “little scrub team” defied the odds and won a division title at the Midwest Schoolgirls Lacrosse Association championship, ahead of larger schools from Illinois, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and western New York. Advertisement Continue reading the main story By 2005, there was enough talent from the United States and Canada to create an all-Iroquois team for the Cup of Nations, an international exhibition for girls 15 to 18 years old, held in conjunction with the quadrennial women’s World Cup. The team was called First Nations because it was not officially endorsed by leaders of the Iroquois confederacy. The players took pride in seeing the purple-and-white flag with the distinctive Hiawatha belt pattern flying next to those of the federation’s member nations. “Having that flag up there was a symbol of what we were playing for — to be recognized,” said midfielder Mia McKie, a Tuscarora from Sanborn, N.Y. Last year, , Miller and other team leaders obtained a letter of approval from the Six Nations Confederacy Council in Ohsweken, Ontario.

The letter was submitted to the International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations to allow the women to compete internationally as a sovereign nation under the confederacy’s preferred name, Haudenosaunee, which is Mohawk for People of the Longhouse. Last July, in Cardiff, Wales, the women’s lacrosse association officially welcomed the Haudenosaunee as its 11th member nation. This August, the team will compete in the lacrosse association’s under-19 world championship in Peterborough, Ontario, making it the first Native American women’s team to compete as a full member. Although the team is still adding players through tryouts, half the roster will probably come from the 2005 Cup of Nations team. That includes Hill, 19, a walk-on last year at Syracuse. “The Haudenosaunee team stepped up my game to make it at Syracuse,” Hill said. Other key players will include Lindsey Steeprock, 17, a Mohawk who is considered the top Native American female high school player. Next year, she plans to attend Syracuse and play lacrosse as a walk-on.

Another teammate, Joni Squire-Hill, 17, a Mohawk and a freshman at SUNY Buffalo, had to convince her father that her lacrosse skills, and not only her brother’s, were worthy of his attention. Even after players and coaches told him how skilled Joni had become, “it probably took me a good year to come around,” said John Squire, an ironworker. Now he attends all her games. Like many of her teammates, Squire-Hill knows she carries special responsibility. “I want to make my mom and dad realize that I’m not doing it for myself, but for everybody around me,” she said. “I want to represent my reservation well.” A version of this article appears in print on , on Page SP5 of the New York edition with the headline: Cradle of a Sport Has Crossed the Gender Line.

Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe WILC Nation Preview: Iroquois Nationals - Lacrosse All Stars Lacrosse All Stars WILC 2015 Nation Preview: Iroquois Nationals By Twitter The World Indoor Lacrosse Championship 2015 takes over the Onondaga Nation next month and in preparation for the historic event we will be taking a deeper look into each of the 13 nations that will be competing for the gold September 18th-27th, 2015! Earning the silver medal in each of the previous WILC competitions is a group that almost needs no further introduction, so let’s get to know the home team, the Iroquois Nationals. This is the first time an indigenous nation has been granted the right to host a world-sporting competition, so let’s get fired up for the Iroquois Nationals run for gold on their home soil! Iroquois Nationals Preparations for the WILC 2015 What obstacles are still in the way of the Iroquois Nationals having the ideal WILC?

Injuries are always a factor in world events and considering the amount of lacrosse that our guys are playing these days, we just hope that all of our guys enter the WILC in the best condition that they can be in. Photo Credit: Eduard Erben, CPA Czech Photo I would also say that because of the distance between each of our communities it is often difficult to get all of the practices and tryouts together as one would like. Try-outs take time and they are necessary so we have a fair selection process but sometimes you just want to pull a team together and begin working on preparing for the games. I think each year we continue to focus on making sure that we have strong players from all of our communities. We want more participation from nations that have not had as much representation on previous teams. What is the furthest members of the team have to travel for the event? We have a couple of guys who are from Western Canada, and it is great that we have the ability to draw guys from other First Nations Communities. This is good for community relations building as well as growing the game and the reach of the Iroquois Nationals Program.

Photo Credit: Eduard Erben, CPA Czech Photo Ideally there will be other First Nations teams fielding their own teams in the future. Until then, we are happy to welcome our friends from other territories and nations. Iroquois Nationals History When were the Iroquois Nationals founded and by whom? “The sport has been around for centuries, predating even the European settlement of North America; it is believed the Native Americans invented the game of Lacrosse as early as the 12th century. Lacrosse is not only a sport, but originally was played as a spiritual endeavour, meant to give thanks and praises to the gods, a tradition which the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team follows to this day. The original version of the game was played with possibly hundreds of players at a time on a field that could range up to a mile in length and would continue for days. Given the number of players, and the physicality lacrosse demands, it is with good reason that the Eastern Cherokee name for the sport roughly translates to “little war.” The game, however, has little to do with inspiring aggression.

“We play this game to give enjoyment to the Creator,” clarified Ansley Jemison, general manager of the Iroquois Nationals. … The Iroquois Nationals team is the only Native American team authorized to play a sport internationally. The FIL accepted the Iroquois Confederacy as a full member nation in 1987, and they participated in their first competition in 1990. Since then, the Nationals then proven their mettle. “The game is absolutely still a big part of our culture,” said Jemison, when asked about the team’s importance today. “We are very proud to represent our nation.” As part of the agreement with the FIL, Native Americans from other tribes are also eligible to tryout and play for the Nationals. The Nationals have been endorsed by Nike since 2008, and receive other funding from various sources including prominent Native American businesses. They are now a long way away from the donated equipment and airline tickets that saw them through the 1990 LWC. Under-funded at the outset, the Iroquois Nationals made a name for themselves and attracted investments and interest from around North America.

Nowadays, their players are offered scholarships and recruited by the best university teams.” Borrowed from IroquoisNationals.org , authored by Lena Camara What other events have the Iroquois Nationals competed in internationally? World Indoor Lacrosse Championship 2003 – 2nd Place World Indoor Lacrosse Championship 2007 – 2nd Place World Indoor Lacrosse Championship 2011 – 2nd Place World Indoor Lacrosse Championship 2015 – TBD The very first appearance of an early form of the Iroquois Nationals was at The Nations 1980, also the very first world championship for box lacrosse. The Iroquois Nationals also participated in a yearly friendly against the United States known as the Bowhunter Cup from 2010-2013. The series saw different variations of national teams and development squads compete in the 4 years of the event. 2015 Players and Staff In general, how would you describe the players on the Iroquois Nationals? What are the guys like off the field? WILC 2011 team.

Photo Credit: Eduard Erben, CPA Czech Photo We have a good group of guys that are very familiar with each other, the familiarity has been a plus when picking this team. I think that as a whole from the coaching staff on down to players and management we have a solid team. We are excited about the organization and commitment from the General Manager and the professionalism of his coaching staff. The players we have selected for this team bring a wealth of experience which will go unmatched in many ways. Our players bring with them tradition and culture as well as athletic ability. Which key individuals from the Nationals should lacrosse enthusiasts look toward as an ambassador of the game? We are returning a number of key veterans from our 2011 World Indoor team and their experience and leadership will certainly be appreciated and something that we will lean on for leadership. A couple of familiar faces will be the Thompson brothers (Lyle, Miles, Jerome and Hiana), they have achieved a bit of celebrity status in the lacrosse world with their recent successes during their college playing days. Sid Smith is a pivotal leader for this team and he is a true leader by example and on the field play.

Our General Manager Landon Miller and his coaching staff believe that the foundation and core of this team begins with our goaltenders and their philosophy starts from that position and extends out from there. Who are the team’s most experienced players for the WILC? Photo Credit: Eduard Erben, CPA Czech Photo Because of the cultural and spiritual significance of lacrosse to the Iroquois Nationals, it’s almost impossible to label and rank the experience of the men. Lacrosse is shared with children at such a young age in the communities, that most of the roster was learning to walk with a stick in their hands. Although there is a range of ages, lacrosse has served as a major life experience for the majority of the organization. Who comprises the Iroquois Nationals coaching staff and what is their experience? General Manager Landon Miller serves as the Assistant General Manager of the Rochester Knighthawks, winning 3 NLL Champion’s Cups in a row with the franchise. Miller also served as the president of the Six Nations Arrows for a six-year tenure, winning the 2014 Minto Cup and making the Ontario Finals four times.

Rich Kilgour played for the Iroquois Nationals back in 2003 and will take over as head coach reigns for WILC 2015. Kilgour has served as the Buffalo Bandits’ assistant coach for 3 years following a monumental career as a player with the Bandits for 18 seasons, winning 4 championships. Kilgour also captured back-to-back Mann Cups as head coach of the Six Nations Chiefs. Duane Jacobs will serve as an assistant coach on the Iroquois bench after capturing silver medals in 2007 and 2011 as Head Coach. Jacobs was a member of the 2003 silver medal winning squad before he began his role as a coach. His career stretched 11 years in the NLL, where he earned won a NLL championship with the Rochester Knighthawks. As a coach, Jacobs captured back-to-back Mann Cups with the Six Nations Chiefs after coaching three seasons in the NLL. Darris Kilgour will return as an assistant coach after working with the team in the WILC 2011.

Kilgour is a former Les Bartley Award winner, given to the NLL Coach of the Year, and currently stands as the all-time winningest coach in league history (121 wins over 11 years). This is Andy Secore’s first appearance as an Iroquois coach, after competing with the team in the WILC 2011, helping the Iroquois Nationals to a silver medal. Secore is an assistant with the Rochester Knighthawks, where he has won three straight NLL championships. He also worked with the Six Nations Arrows as they captured their recent Minto Cup. What are some steps that those of us outside of Six Nations can take to better understand the culture before the WILC? Come with an open mind and be a good guest and I promise you that we will extend our welcome to you. We are proud to be able to host this world event and we look forward to hosting the 13 nations who will be participating in the World Games. Hopefully we will have more time to interact with the other countries off the field and be able to share the moment together in peace and friendship. The core basis of this tournament is being played in Peace and Friendship.

The Haudenosaunee People are a proud and resilient people who have had many years of international diplomacy experience. We have been here before the formation of the US and Canada, and we have taught our European Counterparts how to survive in this part of the world. Understand that we are not people in a text book, we are a proud people who are still very much alive. Thanks to Ansley Jemison from the Iroquois Nationals for taking the time for this interview. TAGS Job Board Six Nations draws Aces at Nations Cup SIX NATIONS – Six Nations lacrosse fans were treated to a great Iroquois Nations Cup tournament series played at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena in Six Nations this past weekend... by Jim Windle September 25, 2013 929 Views SIX NATIONS – Six Nations lacrosse fans were treated to a great Iroquois Nations Cup tournament series played at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena in Six Nations this past weekend involving eight teams from throughout Iroquoia.

In the end, the Ohsweken Aces won the 2013 Iroquois Nations Cup gold again this year in an exciting and tightly battled 11-10 win over the Silver Medalists, the Kahnawake Rapids on Sunday afternoon. The bronze medal game played earlier in the afternoon was also a nail bitter between the Native Sons (a team of friends and family from throughout Haudenosaunee territory) and the host Frog Pond Maulers, which saw the Maulers squeak out a 12-11 win from a game that could easily have gone either way. It was the climax of a weekend that brought Haudenosaunee teams together, all vying to dethrone the incumbent Cup holders, the Aces. Both medal games were excitement packed, one-goal affairs with narrow leads flip-flopping back and forth. The Aces and the Rapids were both fast on the transition and carried a roster of highly talented players. They seesawed their way through the first period, trading goals until the Aces took the last marker of the period to lead, 5-4.

The Aces turned it up a notch in the second and the game appeared to be all but over after the Aces exploded for 8 goals while Jake Henhawk, in the Aces goal, kept all but two Kahnawakke shots out of his net. It was 11-6 with 20 minutes left and the Rapids looked defeated. But in the third, the Aces seemed to think it was in the bag already and stopped pressing Kahnawake. Methodically, the Rapids began chipping away at the Ohsweken lead to draw to within one goal of sending the game into OT, with 1:51 remaining in regulation time. Kahnnawake had the Aces on their heals but the clock became their biggest opponent. A missed pass in the offensive zone resulted in a turn over with seconds remaining, which the Aces ran down to ride the narrow lead to the end. Craig Point led the Aces with 5 goals and 3 assists for an 8-point game and the nod as the Championship game’s team MVP. Donovan Fleischer won the honours for Kahnawake. Rapids’ Jeff Shatler was the tournaments’ top point getter with 6 goals and 9 assists.

Also scoring for the Aces was: Tom Montour (2G, 2A), Roger Vyse, Cody Jamieson and Randy Staats (1G, 2A each), Stu Hill (1G), Chris Attwood (3A), Mike Attwood (2A), Jake Henhawk (1A), and Wayne VanEvery (2A). “That was good,” said Aces veteran Tim Bomberry. “We had a good lead but … they (Kahnawake) gave a good team.” Bomberry has been a part of every one of the seven Six Nations Iroquois Cup wins they have played in except for last season. “Little Bob (Henry) and I thought we were going to retire that year,” he laughs. “That might be it though. Maybe this year, we’ll see.” Cory Bomberry was also one of the founding members of the Aces, and recognizes the Iroquois Nations Cup as a celebration of lacrosse, friends, and family. “For the Aces, it’s our boys getting together. We’ve won it for the last five years now. It’s always a good time to get together,” he said. “We started this team as family,” said Bomberry.

“We’re all related somewhere. We’ve had some pretty good times, so we’ll keep it going. In fact everyone here is here because of our friendships, so it’s a good thing.” And it never gets old for him either. “This year wasn’t as easy as perhaps other years,” he said. “ But we had to battle, and lacrosse is about the battle. You can’t just go out and expect to win. All the teams put on a good show for everybody and we came through with another championship.” For Kahnawake, Karah Two-Axe scored three times and Seth Oaks scored twice. Nick Angus scored one and assisted on one, Jeff Shatler registered one goal and added three assists. Marky Kirby and Adam Bomberry score once each. Kedoh Hill set up three Rapids goals while Dean Hull and Tye Tarbell earned two assists each. Goalie Donovan Fliesher and Brandon Francis chipped in with single assists in their disappointing loss. The Bronze Medal Game between the Six Nations Native Sons and the Frog Pond Maulers turned out to be every bit as exciting as the Gold and Silver Medal Game.

After spotting the Maulers five unanswered goals, early in the first period, the Sons began to shine scoring three times to cut the Maulers lead to 5-3 after the first period. In the second period the Native Sons brought their A game. Angus LaBogrne threaded the needle with an outside shot through traffic and followed that up with another scored 25 seconds later. Peter Rivera and Tyler Seneca assisted to even the game at 5-5. Each team traded two more goals before the period ended tied 7-7. Cam Seneca and Rivera scored for the Native Sons while Haodais Maracle and Quinn Powless accounted for the Maulers second period goals. The third period had fans on the edge of their seats as the teams continued to trade goal for goal. Kim Squire used a screen in front of the Son’s goal and found a spot just inside the far post, but seconds later Brandon Brooks recreated just about the same goal at the other end to even things again. Johnny Powless unleashed a rocket at 4:57 to put the Maulers in front again.

And with Seneca in the box for slashing at 8:02, Squire sent a hard one at Tyler Seneca in the Son’s net which he got almost all of, but not enough, and the ball slowly rolled over the line and stopped an inch or two inside the net to put a two goal edge between them. The turning point of the game came shortly thereafter when Seneca made a similar save but this time quickly turned and swept the ball away before it could enter the net. That would have made it 11-8 and may have demoralized his team somewhat. But knowing they had just dodged a bullet, the Native Sons began to pour it on. Johnny Jimerson and Joe Montour scored two quick ones for the Sons and they were all even again at 10-10. With 6:43 remaining, Ian Martin picked up a rebound and once again put the Maulers on top, 11-10. Cody Johnson scored what would be the game winner at 14:31 from Ian Martin and Josh Johnson to make it 12-10, but there was still a lot of lacrosse yet to play.

The Rapids made it even more interesting when they scored with 27 seconds remaining to come within one shot of sending the game into OT where they would have a new life. But it didn’t happen as the clock ran out on Kahnawake’s hopes to remove the trophy from the Six Nations’ mantle and take it home with them. The Maulers took on the Native Sons in the Bronze medal matchup at the ILA. The Maulers came out one goal ahead of the hard working and talented Sons. (Photo by Jim Windle) SHARE THIS ARTICLE World Event History & Results | FIL World Event History & Results Women U19 Men’s World Championship © 2014 Canada Lacrosse – Canada upsets the USA 8-5 for its third all-time gold medal at the 2014 World Championship in Denver, CO. The initial World Championship was a four-team invitational tournament that coincided with Canada’s centennial lacrosse celebration in 1967. The Mt. Washington (Md.) Lacrosse Club represented the United States and won the tournament. Seven years later, Australia celebrated its lacrosse centennial, and the U.S.

fielded an all-star team to compete in a similar international invitational tournament with Canada and England again. It was here that the concept of holding a world championship tournament every four years was born and the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) formed. In 2008 the ILF merged with the International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA) to form the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL)—the present governing body for both men’s and women’s world championship lacrosse. The U.S. has captured nine World Lacrosse Championships, including the most recent event in 2010 hosted in Manchester, England. Canada has captured three championships throughout the history of the event with it’s most recent championship coming in a stunning 8-5 upset of the US at the 2014 World Lacrosse Championship in Denver, Colorado. Canada will defend it’s championship at the 2018 Men’s World Lacrosse Championship in Manchester, England, 12-21 July 2018. Year * The 1967 team was the Mt. Washington Lacrosse Club from Baltimore, Md.

Men’s U19 World Championship A record-high 14 teams competed in the FIL U19 Men’s Lacrosse World Championship in Coquitlam, B.C., Canada from July 7th through July 16th, 2016. © 2016 FIL – Team USA’s 2016 U-19 squad comes back from a 6-0 first quarter deficit to win an eighth straight championship, downing Canada 13-12 in Coquitlam, BC. Down 8-2 at the half, the US outscored Canada 11-4 in the second half in their come-from-behind gold medal victory. Photo: Paul Yates The Blue Division teams, comprised of the top five finishers from the 2012 U19 Men’s Worlds, included Canada, the United States, the Iroquois Nationals, Australia and England. Red Division teams were made up of Israel, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Germany and Mexico, and the Green Division included entries from China, Ireland, Scotland and Korea.

The 2016 world tournament saw debuts at the U19 level for six of the teams: Israel, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mexico, China and Ireland. The USA came back from a 6-0 deficit to defeat Canada 13-12 on Saturday, July 16th in front of a standing-room only crowd. Ryan Conrad scored with eight seconds remaining coming off a screen and burying the ball, capping off an unbelievable comeback for the Americans who trailed 8-2 at the half, giving the Americans their eighth title on the U-19 world stage. The USA is the only country to have won the gold medal in FIL’s U19 Men’s event, winning in 1988, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2008, 2012 and 2016. The next U19 World Championship will take place 9th – 18th July, 2020 in Limerick, Ireland ( ).

Year Limerick, Ireland World Indoor Lacrosse Championship The World Indoor Lacrosse Championship (WILC) was sponsored by the International Lacrosse Federation through 2007 and and is now sponsored by the sport’s unified governing body, the Federation of International Lacrosse. SYRACUSE, N.Y. (September 27, 2015) Canada’s world dominance in box lacrosse continued with 12-8 victory over the Iroquois, earning Canada its fourth consecutive world indoor championship and stretching its all-time record to 23-0 in WILC play. Photo: Coyote Magic Action Shots. The inaugural event was held in Hamilton, Kitchener, Mississauga, and Oshawa, Ontario, Canada in May 2003. National teams from Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Iroquois Nation, Scotland and the United States participated. Canada won gold defeating the Iroquois Nation in the final by a score of 21-4. The United States took the bronze. The most recent WILC was held at the birthplace of lacrosse on the Onondaga Nation’s native grounds in Syracuse, N.Y.

Thirteen teams competed in the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, including six new nations (Finland, Germany, Israel, Serbia, Switzerland, and Turkey). The medal results were the same as the previous three championships with Canada earning the gold, the Iroquois taking the silver and the U.S. winning the bronze. Surprising newcomer, Israel, finished in 4th. The remaining order of finish was England 5th, Ireland 6th, Czech Republic 7th, Australia 8th, Finland 9th, Turkey 10th, Germany 11th, Serbia 12th, and Switzerland 13th. Canada’s dominance in box lacrosse continued as it remained undefeated in WILC play at 23-0. SEE RESULTS PAGE: WILC 2015 The 2019 WILC will be played in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. Year * The inaugural WILC event was held in Hamilton, Kitchener, Mississauga and Oshawa, Ontario.

Women’s World Cup © 2013 FIL – Team USA dominated its competition at the 2013 Women’s Lacrosse World Cup in Oshawa, Ontario. The US went 7-0, outscoring the field 127-35 in route to the gold medal. Photo by Jay Johnston via Game Day Photography The International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA) was formed in 1972 to promote and develop the game of women’s lacrosse throughout the world. Inaugural members were Australia, England, Scotland, Wales and the United States. The number of member countries has grown rapidly as lacrosse popularity has spread. The IFWLA World Cup started in 1982 as an international lacrosse tournament that is held every four years, except in 1989 when it had only been three years since the 1986 IFWLA World Championship. The first World Cup was hosted in Nottingham, England. The United States team has won every World Cup except 1986 and 2005 where it finished second behind Australia.

In 2007 the IFWLA merged with their men’s lacrosse counterpart, the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF), to form the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) – the current governing body of international lacrosse championships. In the latest event, Team USA made it two straight gold medals and seven overall when it defeated host Canada 19-5 at the 2013 Women’s Lacrosse World Cup in Oshawa, Ontario. Upcoming World Cup event: • 2017 Women’s Word Cup — 13th – 22nd July 2017, Guildford, England Year ??-?? Guildford, England * Extra Time; Three additional minutes each way/straight change of ends. If after “extra time” the score is still tied, then three minute halves are played on Sudden Death basis (first goal wins). ** Sudden Death Overtime; first goal scored in overtime is the game winner. Women’s U19 World Championship © 2015 FIL – Canada (7-1) held off a United States rally to win its first FIL U19 Women’s World Lacrosse Championship gold medal.

The USA (7-1) earned its second silver medal after winning four straight golds in 1999, 2003, ’07 and ’11. Photo by David May via DEphoto. The International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA) held its first U-19 World Championship in 1995. Australia defeated the United States 5-4 in Haverford, Pennsylvania. The U.S. then beat Australia in four straight finals since then. In 1999, the U.S. defeated the Aussies 15-8 on their home turf in Perth. They doubled-up on Australia in 2003, this time winning the championship 21-8 in Baltimore, Maryland. The U.S. women made it three straight golds in 2007 by defeating Australia 18-3 in Peterborough, Canada. The U.S. won its fourth gold in a row in 2011 in Hannover, Germany edging their Aussie rivals 14-12.

In the latest U19 Women’s Championship in July of 2015 in Edinburgh, Scotland many new story lines emerged: Canada Golden, U.S. settles for Silver. After losing to the U.S. in the first game of pool play, Canada won seven straight games — including an impressive 17-3 win over Australia in the Semifinals, and a 9-8 victory over the U.S. to win the Gold. England wins historic bronze. England built a 9-3 lead early in the second before the Aussies roared back with a furious 6-1 rally to bring it to within one goal, 10-9, with 1:30 left. England held the Aussies scoreless through the final minute and thirty to preserve a 10-9 win for the bronze. Australia does not medal. For the first time in the history of the tournament, Australia did not play for the gold and finished out of the medals in fourth place after being upset by England in the bronze medal game. New Zealand finishes in 5th. The Kiwis surprised everyone with a 10-8 victory over Japan for 5th place.

Previous finishes for New Zealand were 10th in 2007 and 11th in 2011. The host nation and location for the 2019 Women’s U19 Championship event will be determined in late 2015. Year

Question: The Iroquois Cup is competed for in which sport?
Answer: Lacrosse